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A Fort Worth-area couple whose dog was kept alive nearly a year after a veterinarian claimed to have euthanized the pet has filed a $1 million lawsuit in state district court.

Jamie and Marian Harris filed the suit May 8 in Tarrant County State District Court against Dr. Millard "Lou" Tierce III and his business, Camp Bowie Animal Clinic.

On May 9, the Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners voted to continue the temporary suspension of Tierce's veterinary license, which was imposed April 29.

In the Harrises' suit, they accuse Tierce of negligence, gross negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, fraud, conversion (unauthorized use of property), breach of fiduciary duty, theft of property and breach of contract. They are seeking more than $1 million in damages and attorney's fees.

As stated in the couple's petition, they took their 170-pound dog, Sid, to Tierce's clinic in May 2013 for a minor, anal gland issue. Tierce proposed longterm treatment in his clinic and kept the 4-year-old Leonberger until October.

At that point, the doctor told the couple that an X-ray showed Sid had a degenerative and incurable spine defect. Tierce recommended euthanasia. The family, not wanting to prolong his pain, agreed, the petition states.

Tierce's wife said Sid would be buried at the Tierces' family farm.

In April, a former clinic employee told the Harrises that Sid was still at the clinic, confined in a cage almost 24 hours a day in unsanitary conditions, the petition states. The Harrises hurried to the clinic and got their dog.

They took Sid to another veterinarian and a neurologist, and the dog had an MRI of his spine.

These examinations showed that Sid had been "abusively kenneled," had stress-induced mange, had significant atrophy in his leg muscles due to gross inactivity and abusive kenneling, had veins consistent with haveing been used as a regular blood donor.

The exams also showed he did not have a congenital spine defect, the petition states.

The Harrises have suffered and continue to suffer intense guilt and betrayal from the recognition that they entrusted multiple pets over 25 years to Tierce's care, the suit states.

Their dog was not the only pet to undergo this treatment from Tierce, according to the petition.

When he was questioned by investigators for the board of veterinary medical examiners, he admitted to having deceived pet owners about euthanizing their animals on at least five occasions, the petition states.